Clam Chowder
by Cate's Creative Chaos
Summary: When Draco witnesses Luna Lovegood being tortured in his own living room, he decides its time he reevaluated his choices. Draco and Luna come to understand each other and eventually become friends. Set during Deathly Hallows while Luna is prisoner in the Malfoy Manor.


Draco watched, as two snatchers dragged a short, blonde girl up to the manor by her underarms. Luna Lovegood, he remember her from school, really strange, hung out with Potter and all those other pathetic DA members. But Luna seemed different, badass, yet so innocent, she was smart and always seemed to know what was going on before anyone else. Maybe that was why she wasn't struggling, just letting them drag her. Luna didn't deserve to be here. She had to know by now what aunt Bellatrix was planning for her. And she had to know by now that there was no way of avoiding it. For the first time, Draco thought Luna looked afraid, hiding it pretty well, but still.

When Draco heard the manor door open he dropped from the window and sat on the green, over stuffed sofa, as his father walked from the study, followed by his mother and Bellatrix. The snatchers barged into the dim living room and threw Luna to the ground a couple of feet in front of Draco. Luna coughed and looked at Draco, the eye contact was awkward so he looked away. Luna tried to sit up, only to be kicked in the chest by a snatcher, back to the floor.

"We got the Lovegood girl off the train. She doesn't look like much of a threat, what is the point of having her here?" Asked one of the snatchers. "Are you stupid?" Bellatrix exclaimed. "She is the weird daughter of the editor of the weird magazine, supporting potter!" Bellatrix screeched. "We need to change Lovegoods mind about what he puts in his magazine, and she's the only way to do that!" Bellatrix yelled again, stomping into the living room. "Draco, move." Bellatrix demanded. Draco obediently got up and leaned against the door frame of the study, trying to look nonchalant, but really, his heart was beating out of his chest. He hated watching people get tortured. There was nothing he could do to help them.

Bellatrix got herself comfortable where Draco was sitting and pointed her wand at Luna, who was staring her directly in the eye, keeping her bravest toughest face on. Bellatrix chuckled. "Crucio." Bellatrix said casually. Luna rolled onto her back and arched up in pain, she squirmed on the ground and whimpered, but did not scream. "Stop" Luna mumbled through the pain. Draco knew what the Cruciatus curse felt like, he had experienced it a few times growing up. His father had odd ways of discipline, and Draco had no idea how she could stay quiet through it. Amazing.

Bellatrix took the curse off Luna, her back fell to the ground and she rolled back on her side, taking several deep breaths, a tear rolled down her cheek. "Had enough little Loony?" Bellatrix teased. Luna nodded still breathing heavily. "Then... LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM!" Bellatrix shouted, reinstating the curse. This time Luna wasn't prepared. She screamed and arched her back again. Bellatix laughed manically. Draco flinched and looked away. He didn't know how much longer her could take it. Luna kept screaming and Draco kept ignoring.

Finally, Bellatrix took the curse off her and snapped her fingers. "Draco, take her to the cellar with the old man." Draco rushed to the living room and grabbed Luna's wrists. "Get up." Draco demanded. Luna sat up, and Draco pulled her the rest of the way. She fell into him right away. He pushed her back up and took her shoulders to steady her. Once she seemed to have caught her balance, Draco pushed her down the hallway to the entrance of the cellar, she staggered but stayed on her feet. Nobody was watching, or listening, so there was no reason to act so cold. He took one of her arms and wrapped it around his neck, scooping up her legs, he carried her the rest of the way, her head falling into his chest. Draco could almost hear her heart beat.

Draco swung open door to the dark, damp, and cold cellar and strode down the stairs with her. Draco found a spot on the wall and set Luna down, leaning against the wall. "Thanks Draco." Luna said, with her eyes closed. "Luna Lovegood. Unicorn hair, oak, very flexible." said Olivander from the darkness. The old man appeared in the shred of light from the door. "You know Draco, you really aren't a bad kid. Once Mr. Potter straightens out this whole mess, you will be able to turn your life around. In fact, the sooner the better." Said Olivander. "Th.. thank you sir" Draco said, turning to leave. "Have a goodnight Draco." Olivander said as Draco shut the door behind him.

Draco returned to the living room with his aunt, still sitting in the same place, and his parents who were now wrapped around each other on the other sofa. "The prisoners are secure." Draco stated. His father gave a nod, which probably meant he wasn't wanted there right now. Draco turned and walked back down the hallway towards his bedroom. As Draco passed by the cellar door, he remembered when he was a child, he would hide down here when his dad got angry, he didn't like to watch him hit his mother, and he didn't like to be hit. So he hid among the emergency supplies that used to be kept down there, just like any normal family, the cellar was once used for storage and supplies. Now of course, it was being used to hold a 16 year old girl and an old man who were both kidnapped and tortured. There is really something wrong with that picture.

Draco climbed up onto his 4 poster bed. Draco couldn't stomach the thought that he was lying here, on a warm comfortable bed while those two people were downstairs who deserved this luxury much more then Draco did. Finally, banishing the guilt from his head, Draco drifted off to sleep.

Draco woke very early the next morning, as usual. The sun was just beginning to rise. This was the time every morning when Draco would bring Olivander his meal, which was made sure to lack in nutrition and appeal. Draco tiredly staggered into house elves kitchen. Draco didn't understand why the house elves couldn't just deliver Olivanders meals. His mother had told him it was because a person can't go that long without seeing another person, but his father had told him it was to make sure there was no plotting going on.

Draco lifted the tray with two bowls on it, and two glasses of lukewarm water. Today's meal, to Draco's disgust was lukewarm clam chowder. It reeked of ageing fish. Draco opened the cellar door and walked down the stairs, leaving the door wide open to provide some light. He struggled to unlock the gate and balance the tray of food. Draco managed to wriggle open the gate and swing it opened. Before he got the chance to step into the darkness, a hand came up and pushed the tray into Draco's face, spilling both bowls of clam chowder and both glasses of water all over him. A wisp of long blonde hair whipped Draco in the face. Luna rushed up the stair. Draco panicked. What was she thinking?! thought Draco. He whipped out his wand and pointed it at Luna. "legiliments!" Draco exclaimed. Luna fell backwards down the stairs, Draco attempted to catch her and break the fall but unfortunately he wasn't ready and she landed on top of him. She wasted no time in flinging herself back up. Draco grabbed her arms and pinned her to the ground. She struggled and shouted, Draco had his wand pointed at her as a threat, though he would never hurt her. Olivander begged her to give up. Telling her that she was going to be heard and someone much more threatening than Draco would come to see what was going on.

Lucious appeared at the top of the stairs. "Draco!" He barked. Draco rolled off Luna, once freed she got up to run to the back of the cellar, away from Lucious. Luna had barely stood before the man pointed his wand at her. "Crucio!" he yelled. Luna fell to the ground face first in a fit of screams. Draco whipped his head away from her, so he wouldn't have to watch. Lucious held onto the spell as he stomped his way down the stairs. He ended the torture clutched onto Luna's shoulder and pulled her into a standing position, her legs immediately gave out and she fell back. Lucious slapped her cheek with the back of his hand. "Stand up blood traitor!" he yelled, then kicking her in the side. Draco couldn't take it. "Father stop." he demanded. Lucious seem to forget about Luna for a moment. He looked Draco in the eye. Draco thought for sure he was about to fall victim to the crusiatus curse, but instead Lucious simply turned away and started up the stairs. "Clean up here, and they missed their opportunity for food today." Draco nodded, locking the steel gate between the stairs and the cellar. He quickly whipped up the mess with magic. He turned to Luna, Olivander was crouched beside her with a hand on her back, but unable to move her. She was quietly crying into the crook of her arm. Draco knew right then that he needed to help them.


End file.
